Horizontal rotary filter



HORIZONTAL ROTARY FILTER Filed May 13, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z6] 5 29 Z? ?7 1211 TAM Z9 ..m lA/fififl/MA' yr Il v 2a a 10.

INVENTOR JaH/v B. McCus.

ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1940. J. B. M CUE HORIZONTAL ROTARY FILTER Filed May 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR B ATTORNEY Jan. 30, 1940. J. B. MccuE HORIZONTAL ROTARY FILTER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 13, 1938 INVENTOR JOHN 5,; M0 CUE.

ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1940 I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORIZONTAL ROTARY FILTER I John B. McCue, Morgantown, W. Va. Application May 13, 1938, Serial No. 207,651

4 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in filters of an horizontal rotary typein which are separate filter compartments, and pertains particularly to means for attaining both rigidity of structure and diversity of. action, with attenda'nt improvement of filtrationefliciency.

Filters that immerse the completed filter cake .2 for high capacity combined with accurate control of filter liquids.

In the structure of previous horizontal filters, sometimes there has been lack of rigidity, or else the structure has been cumbersome. Hori- ;;2." zontal filters also have lacked adaptability to varying types of sludge to be filtered.

Anobject of this invention is to provide an horizontal rotary filter that is adapted to promote filtration during substantially all of the 3 0 period of rotation, butis both light and rigid.

Such'a filter is to utilize a maximum of possible filter area, and discharge the cake quickly. One.

' of the important objects of this invention is to "provide for rapid and positive discharge of fill trate and of filter cake from the individual compartments. Also an important object is to provide improved supporting andoperating struc ture for the individual compartments, structure to be clean in operation, simple in construction,

'40 and strong under stress of rapid discharge of filter cake. These, and the further object of sim,-

ple dlsposalof filtrate, will be apparent further in the following illustrative description of this invention, taken with the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the ap- 5 eral individual filter segments, together with cer- Such 'filter as a whole.

. port I.

. tain of the operating mechanism for the filter segment .1 Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic end elevation of certain of the operating mechanism as indicated in Fig. 3; a

Fig. 5 illustrates in diagrammatic planview an arrangement of cam tracks and of gear rack f0 dumping individual filter segments;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a plurality of filter segments, "as along the line 66 of Fig.

5, to illustrate the positionof sealing elements and the travel of a-filter segment during dis-. charge of filter cake and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of locking mechanism for a filter segment, viewed from the section 515 '!l of Fig. 3; Figl 8 is a detail section of means of mounting a filter bed and supporting. shaft; and

- Fig. 9 is a plan" view of a sliding joint .to conduct fluid to or from individual filter segments. ii)

Objects of. this invention are attainedin a preferred embodiment in which individual filters aresecured on individualirotatable shafts that are adapted to conductv fluids-to and from the filter and adapted also to operate control means for clearing each filter segment.

Reference is made more particularly to the drawings, which describe a preferred arrangement of this invention, though the invention may be practiced in other forms within the scope of the appended claims. This invention is associatedwith a series of horizontal filters mounted on a central vertical support I. This support comprises a cylinder rotatably placed upon wheels 2 and [circular track 3; The filter is ro- 35 tated by motor 4', which for illustration is shown connected by gears or other means to the upper part of support 3.; but motor 4 may be otherwise mounted or connected. Suitable pulp inlet 35 and wash liquid conduits 36 are mounted about the 0 Individual filter pans 5 are mounted as segments upon the outer side of sup Each filter pan 5 is secured rigidly upon a rotatable shaft I which is journalled between inner support I and an outer rim 8, as shown 4'5 in Figs. 2 and 3. The weight of outer rim 8 is supported at the bottom of cylinder I through" braces 6. Individual filter segments 5 are mounted closely together to obtain maximum filtering surface. They are dumped and cleaned succes- G sively and quickly by co-operating elements preferably arranged and operated in an embodiment of this invention to be described. i

In this type of filter there is embodied, as illustrated inv Figs. 3 and 8, a hollow shaft 1 for 5' each segment, journalled horizontally between central support I and outer rim 8. Upon this shaft the individual filter compartment 5 is I mounted rigidly, by cross-beams, as by channel beams I3, through which shaft '1 is welded or respectively within inner support 5 and outerrim 8. Thus the collars, and hence shaft 7, are

held as between spacer elements, against end-- wise play.

From each filter bed, a fluid conduit it is fitted to extend through shaft l to within cen+ tral cylindrical support I, as shown in Fig. 3. Inside of support 1, each conduit It is fitted with a sliding rotatable joint 32, so that conduit lit is operative to convey fluid in any rotative position of the'iindividual filter and of shaft ii Such joint 32 is illustrated in detail in Fig. 9, which shows conduit ill extending through a ball and socket joint in which co-operatirig male and female elements 33 and 33', are held in engagement by a spring 3 3. :Spring 3 is compressed :between plates which loosely encircle conduit ill, the inner plate 34 being rigidly secured to female member .33 so as to maintain tight con-- tact within the sliding joint 32. If desired, the member 34 may be. made adjustable to alter the force of spring 34.

Inside of central supporting structure Iis secured a rotary control valve 9, such as a two- :disked valve of the so-called Portland type, as

illustrated in Fig. 1. This comprises a pair of disks rovided with a plurality of cooperative ports, so that 'with-one'disk '9 held stationary, the

other, a movable disk 3, in sequence brings vari ous combinations of conduits into operation. In the form shown, this valve is placed horizontally from an overhead support, with the movable disk '9 iastened to the walls of rotatable vertical support I. This achieves compactness and balance c t load about fhollow shafti. To movable supported disk 9, conduits m with sliding jointsta are "connected, so that in selected positions of central support 1 and of rotatable filters, .5, a given (filter may be under .vacuum, asior with =drawal of filtrate, ormay 'beunder pressure as for dischargeof filter cake.

Shafts i further enter into the operation of filter beds 5 in controlling means to rotate the beds for clischarge of filter cake. To this end, shafts"? overhang outer rim 8,'to co-act with locking and dumping mechanism who described.

shown in Fig. 3, shafts l at their outer end carry a gear wheel Zilywhich engages a gear. rack 25. This is operative during a selected are of travel of the entire filter, as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, as shaft 7 is carried in an horizontal plane, it is rotatedto permit filter cake to fall from the fl-lten-a's illustrated in Fig. 6. During this period, shaft 7 through'its contained conduit it rnay serve to convey air or steam against the filter bed, even in a pulsating stream if valve 9 be so adjusted, to facilitate discharge and cleaning of the filter during a selected brief period of rotation of shaft 1.

However, in-the form shown, before each pan 5 canjrotate with its shaft 1, a guard or look 26, which overlaps and rests closely to adjacent edges of contiguous pans, must be removed. To effect this operation, the arrangement shown in 4 iis embodie'd in the preferred structure. It is evican be rotated with its shaft i;

dent from the drawings that the individual filter v pans 5 are mounted as closely together as will permit their rotation, to obtain maximumfilter area as well as rigidity of structure.

central support -I- upon a roller lit. These rods rise through guide plates fastened respectively. to" rim 8 and to support I, and co-act with springs.

compressedunder the guide plates so as n0r-- mally tending to move guard 26 down tight over i the pan edges; To operate these guards so that the pans may rotate, there are provided an ex For ana'ppropriate arc of traveler the filtenthese tracks are curved upwardly so ,as. to-

lift each guard 265 just before the shaft, 7 is rotated, Unless guard-ibis raised suilicientlyto i permit rotation of the filter coinpartment shaiit l filter a'i-cannot rotate to discharge lter cake. I w

" A preferred form of this-invention comprises further means to lock each filter E5 in horizontal position, until the period to rotate shaft"l for discharge of filter cake. I This iurther'znieans comprises a latch or. clutch, such for example as shown in andl. It is borne by each shaft i, and comprises a pair of clogslfi, 1H mounted on. a collar 5' about shait 1.. Collar ifi is keyed to slide along shaft '27," and when near its inner I position pushes it into locking engagewhich are fixed to rizn 5B; To disengage tl ies'e dogs, collar 58 is pulled out by means of a yoked lever ill, which is pivoted to rim 8 with its lower end actuated by a camf li'. As shown, this 1 ,5-

tuation is effected by a roller 2i securedi totlfe i lower end of lever and a guide groove fi 'supported forgan arc of the filter parallel to gear rack Near the'entraneeandthe exit, guide groove 22 "is positioned inwardly as shown in In order to faoilitatethe' initial rotational movement of shaft II and'aloaded filter segment 3 i 5, the turning torque against rack 25st t.

travel generally", 9 I

filter segment .5 more than the other. *lf'hisrmay" accomplished by mounting filter part5 slightly oil" center on shaft'l, th cake may assist in causing p.

For operation, it will be observed from Figs; -l

5 that as the filter as awhole rotatesfcam the load' offilter' j w o to start torotate x03 gravity ust before raclr 20 engages.

track, 35 first oomesinto play to raise sealing" guards 213 so that corresponding filter segmentb Bythe time seal ffi'is raised out of the clutch roller-Bt-htts entered its groove 27?. so? as to unlatchthe locking quickly. As soon aspan ii -thus is f r ee'to turi1,-; zear'whee1'2d is in position to engage 'rack and thus to rotate pan 5 with shaft ll gear is selected to turn pan 5 completerevolution during such-travel of the filter as is bestfitted to the work at hand, as for examplew-hile-the' travels an arc of about '30". that this arrangement itself readily to change of gear ratioyor arc of revolution fora dumping, by change of elevation of maimed. r

This

It his evident. Q

ment with a complemental pair of dogs l t- 15 cular track '3."

5 on shaft 1'.

change of diameterof gear 24. It may be"observed incidentally from Fig. 4 with reference to sealing cam 26 operation, that cam track 3| is provided with a .sharper pitch to return a seal guard element 26 than to'raise it, inasmuch as there is usually very little liquidwhen the filter cake is ready for discharge, while after a filter has been cleaned. it should quickly be ready to receive an inpouring of newsludge- This reliquid inlets 36. Duringthis period, rotary valve 99 suitably controls removal of filtrate from appropriate filter segments 5, as by application of vacuum thereto, while the filter cake is immersed in supernatant liquid.

After about 330 of rotation the filter cake is dumped. 'I'his is effected by contact of guard;

element rollers, 28 with lifting cams 3| and 32, and by engagement of lever arm 20 with cam 22 to unlock pan 5i followed at once by meshing of rack 25 .with dumping gear 24 to rotate pan Thus it is evident from the embodiment here illustrated that this invention comprises means extending from a central cylindrical support to assure operation ofclosely-fitted and inner-related mechanism. Hollow shafts I are spaced bea "tween the central support and the outer rim; so rigidly as to permit leading the filter conduit Ill through this shaft for accurateiconnection with a rotary valve. Shaft 1 also assures engagement of nicely-fitted cams 2| and 28 for raisingthe pan guard and for unlocking the filter pan, as well as accurate engagement of the rack and gear for dumping the filter. The relatively large base obtained with the circular central support also con-- tributes to the stability and close engagement of these operative elements.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the

principles of this invention have been described by illustration of preferred embodiments and mode of operation; but it will now be apparent to those skilled in this art that the principles thereof 1. An horizontal rotatable filter comprising a central rotatable support verticallydisposed upon a circular track, a circumferential-.rim spaced. therefrom, hollow radial shafts journalled be tween the central support and between the rim,

separate filter beds mounted on the shafts, and fluid conduits leading fromthe filter beds and mounted within the interior of their respective hollow shafts.

2. An horizontal rotatable filter comprising a central rotatable cylinder vertically disposed upon a circular track, an outer rim rigidly braced ,to the lower part of the central cylinder, hollow shafts iournalled radially between the central cylinder and the outer rim and overhanging the rim, separate filter beds fixed upon the shafts,

fluid conduits leading from the filter beds and mounted within the shafts, co-operative clutch memberson the rim and on the shaft outside the rim to lock each filter bed and shaft against ro-' tation. comprising inter-engaging dogs on the rim and on the shaft, means carried by the shaft to release the clutch members comprising a lever arm to reciprocate the shaft dog, and a cam groove to actuate the lever arm, and a rack and pinion to rotate the shaft and filter bed, guards.

overlapping the edges, of adjacent filter beds and means comprising an elevated camtrack to elevate theguards prior to release of the clutch mBm- 1 I 'bers.

3. An horizontal rotatable filter comprising a central cylindrical support mounted on tracks for rotation,'a circumferential rim spaced therefrom, hollow radial shafts journalled between the central support and the rim, separate filter segments mounted on the shafts, means carried by the outer portion of the shafts and a cooperating cam groove to force said means both to latch and unlatch the filter segments and shafts and means operative on )the outer portion'of the shafts to rotate the filter beds and shafts; fiuid conduits extending from the filterv beds and mounted within the shafts, and a rotatable valve connected with the fluid conduitsand mounted within the central support, for rotation therewith. g

4. In an horizontal rotatable filter comprising a central cylinder mounted for rotation upon circular tracks, and a circumferential rim supported in spaced relation therefrom, radial hollow shafts journalled in the central'cylinder and in the rim,

means to minimize endplay'of the shaft, filter segments mounted rigidly on the shafts, fluid conduits from the filter segments through the hollow shafts, a multiple port valve mounted within the cylinder for rotation therewith, a rotatable joint connecting the fluid conduits and the valve, the improvement comprising filter bed latch means mounted upon the outer end of the shaft, means to open the latch during a limited arc of rotation of the filter. and means-comprising a gear element torotate the shaft during the period the latch is open, the means to open the latch comprising a lever mounted upon the shaft and com-- prising a cam member and a cam groove to, force the lever arm to open andto close the filter bed 

